


We Trust You, Captain

by redriotoperator



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Aobajousai loves their captain, IDEFK anymore, Iwaizumi Hajime is a Good Boyfriend, M/M, Oikawa Tooru's Inferiority Complex, Oikawa Tooru-centric, That's it, We Love Oikawa Tooru, and he loves them, because they love him, cling to him?, he's not even my all time FAV, i just, just Oikawa and his team, that's the fic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:28:04
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 9,072
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24173614
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redriotoperator/pseuds/redriotoperator
Summary: Oikawa Tooru loved him team. He loved them all in different ways- in no way did he love Makki or Mattsun as much as he did his Iwa-chan, but he held his team high in his heart.His team loves him too, cause they're a family- a weird, loud, and rude family.AKA: a fic where I indulge the idea of friends showing a certain friend they love them- AKA several times Oikawa's team shows him they love him and are protective over him in their own ways.
Relationships: Aobajousai Volleyball Club & Oikawa Tooru, Hanamaki Takahiro/Matsukawa Issei, Iwaizumi Hajime/Oikawa Tooru, Kindaichi Yuutarou/Kunimi Akira, Kyoutani Kentarou/Yahaba Shigeru, Oikawa Tooru & Coach Nobuteru Irihata, Oikawa Tooru & Everyone, Oikawa Tooru & Hanamaki Takahiro, Oikawa Tooru & Iwaizumi Hajime, Oikawa Tooru & Kindaichi Yuutarou, Oikawa Tooru & Kunimi Akira, Oikawa Tooru & Kyoutani Kentarou, Oikawa Tooru & Matsukawa Issei, Oikawa Tooru & Sawauchi Motomu, Oikawa Tooru & Shido Heisuke, Oikawa Tooru & Watari Shinji, Oikawa Tooru & Yahaba Shigeru, Oikawa Tooru & Yuda Kaneo
Comments: 46
Kudos: 492





	1. Kentaro Kyotuani

**Author's Note:**

> TW: mentions of not being left alone at a party, creepy guy who doesn't take no (no graphic scenes, they just talk about it)

It wasn’t too often the members of Aobajohsai got to have major time off, let alone major time off where they could have fun that _didn't_ involve volleyball. Though their options were limited depending on the day, there were rare weekends where they were given the gift of "normal" teenage things. Like high school parties, minus the alcohol. They took being sober seriously, as serious as high schoolers can, but none of them wanted to risk being caught drunk underage and get kicked off of the team.

Lights were dim, music was loud, and Kyoutani wondered how he got talked into coming. He knew Oikawa had done his usual pout and pleaded, claiming it was a _team_ outing, at some random third years’ house. Yahaba had just asked, and the genuine desire for Kyoutani to come almost broke him. Almost. It was Iwaizumi that finally broke the dam, merely huffing and asking Kyoutani if he was scared to go. He had promptly texted Yahaba and asked for the address and details. 

Which is how he landed at a stranger's house on a Saturday night, holding a can of Coke and a look of annoyance.

Yahaba had run off after seeing Kindaichi head towards a plate of brownies that were not designated for everyone, Iwaizumi had been goaded into an arm wrestling competition with a different second year, someone from the basket ball team. Makki and Mattsun had stood in a corner, cans of sodas in their hands as they stood shoulder to shoulder, staring and laughing at whatever was on Mattsun’s phone. God knows where anyone else from his team was.

He glared forward, uncaring of who was on the receiving end of his look as he downed some more of his drink, wincing some as he realized the soda had begun to flatten.

_When was an appropriate time to up and leave?_

“Ah, Mad-Dog!” _Now would be an appropriate time to leave._

Oikawa, however, was quicker to get to where Kyoutani stood than he was to leave his spot. He turned his glare to the captain, taking note of his outfit with an air of disgust. It was a high school house party, why did he feel the need to out dress everyone. Dark blue skinny jeans with some blue and cream sweater, a blue flannel shirt tied around his waist and those stupid black shoes he wore that _squeaked_ so loud if he did anything more than a simple step. And the glasses. The stupid glasses that he loved to push up whenever he made a snarky remark.

“You don’t mind if I hang out with you for a bit?”

Kyoutani raised an eyebrow, bringing his can to rest against his bottom lip, gaze unwavering as he stared Oikawa down. “Why?”

“Hm? Oh, what? A good upperclassman makes sure his kohai are taken care of!”

Kyoutani continued to stare, watching as Oikawa shifted his weight from foot to foot. He was fidgety, hands clasped to his red cup which held what looked like just water, but his grip would tighten and loosen every few seconds. 

“Why not hang around Iwaizumi? Or...anyone else?”

He was trying to get a read on why Oikawa looked... off. While he may be talking and listening, he wasn't focusing, his mind seemed to be elsewhere. He tilted his head, shifting his weight so he stood closer to being in his line of vision. Oikawa blinked once, twice, before sending Kyoutani one of the smiles he normally reserved for his fangirls. 

“Iwa-chan was busy!”

“That’s never stopped you before.” He didn't wish to admit his captain's actions were worrying him, but they were. 

He wasn’t Oikawa’s biggest fan. He was too loud and showy for his taste. But he wasn’t a bad captain, wasn’t a bad player, and, though he'd rather take an Iwaizumi breakthrough spike to the back of the head before admitting it, a good upperclassman. 

So he was worried. Oikawa was being weird, in a different way than usual. 

And that rubbed him the wrong way.

Oikawa pouted at the statement, “Well he had a crowd around him, you were alone and I thought, one seems like the better option, yeah?”

He wasn’t buying it. Oikawa loved crowds, not as much as he loved Iwa’s attention, but it was a close second. The brunette sent another glance over his shoulder, and for a brief second Kyoutani could see his body tense, shoulders rising before he turned back around, a fake smile on his face. Without prompting, he looked over Oikawa’s shoulder, taking in the people in the crowd behind them. No one stood out immediately- no team members being idiots, no opposing team here.

“What the fuck’s going on?”

Oikawa blanched- eyes focusing on Kyotani before he shrugged. “There’s just- you know.” _No,_ _I really fucking don't_ , “Some guy was getting tocuhy. He was nice and I _know_ him so we were talking, then he kept touching me and making some comments, I told him to back off a few times but,” Oikawa rubbed the back of his neck, “He just hasn’t really backed off.”

Instantly Kyoutani's gaze was back on the sea of people beyond them, trying to figure out the person Oikawa was talking about. No one caught his eye until a shift of dark brown hair caught his attention. One of their basketball players- a second year, if Kyoutani remembers correctly, was watching them. He was trying to be subtle, and to the drunken mass of teens he was, but to Kyoutani he stood out like a sore thumb. The two made eye contact and for another moment and Kyoutani narrowed his eyes further. 

Before Oikawa could open his mouth to talk once more, Kyoutani had moved into action. He gripped him by the shoulders, moving him with ease to shift their positions. Oikawa was now leaning on his side against the wall, but he was able to keep an eye on the sea of people that now how a mad Mad Dog wall to get through first.

“I- Kyoutani?”

Grunting, he tilted his head, indicating he was listening but kept his eye on the guy who was now glaring back. He heard Oikawa clear his throat before he opened and closed his mouth a few times, unsure of what to say.

“Didn’t peg me as your type.” Kyoutani's face fell flat as he leveled Oikawa with his stare, “What? You pinned me against the wall.”

“Was putting distance between you and the fucking creep.” He turned back, ready to make his way across the room to put an end to this "game".

Oikawa seemed to easily read the situation, however, and put his hands on Kyoutani's shoulders, holding him in place. “Let’s _not_ start a fight with someone who's probably drunk.”

“Doesn’t matter if he’s drunk or sober. You were uncomfortable. You wanted him to leave you alone. He didn’t. You shouldn't defend him.”

Oikawa sighed, grip tightening, “I know, and as entertaining it would be to see you punch him, you get in one more massive fight and you’re gonna be suspended from the team for the rest of the year Kentaro.” 

He sighed, not allowing his body to lose its tension as he continued to glare the basketball player down. He was slowly retreating backward, pondering if he'd win or lose in a fight with Seijoh's "Mad dog-chan". In this scenario, he'd lose before it even started.

Oikawa pulled on his shoulder lightly, “C’mon, let's go see Iwa-chan. Maybe you’ll beat him in arm wrestling this time.”

He felt his chest puff with the anticipation of challenging Iwaizumi once more, but the overwhelming urge to beat the guy's face in was still present. He nodded, however, and stepped forward, keeping Oikawa on his side away from the dark haired brunette who merely shook his head in disappointment as the two disappeared.

They found Iwaizumi, still seated at a table, laughing loudly as Kindaichi spewed praise with awe written on his face. Apparently, nobody had been able to beat Iwaizumi in arm wrestling yet. Under normal circumstances, Kyoutani would have stepped forward, annoyance written on his face to hide the quiet anticipation of trying to one up his upperclassman for once, but he didn’t move from Oikawa’s side, arms crossed, glare etched into his face as he surveyed the room. If he turned his focus away that creep might come back, and as terrifying as Oikawa could be, he had a hard time saying a hard no.

Kyoutani was staying put.

And that didn’t go unnoticed.

Kindaichi had leaned forward to say something to Iwa, a sentence drowned out by the music and chatter. Iwaizumi’s eyes met Kyoutani's and he grinned- a challenging, confident look. “You come back for a rematch Mad-dog?”

Kindaichi looked prepared to witness another match, and even Oikawa looked more lively to see his boyfriend arm wrestle. But the weariness was still present in his eyes, back still straight and stiff, and even Kyoutani felt sick to see that. The two had never bonded before, and Kyoutani had never once listened to instructions from him as a captain, but the two were still... friends. 

So he looked at Iwaizumi and silently shook his head. The older boy looked shocked for a moment, before another guy sat before him, a drunk soccerplayer spewing insults and challenges. Oikawa looked over to Kyoutani, eyebrows furrowed. 

“You know, you don’t have to play guard dog, Kyoutani.” His voice was quiet, as quiet as it could be given the atmosphere, “I should be fine now. I didn’t mean to interrupt your brooding time or keep you here longer, I just- “

“You didn’t interrupt shit.” He butt in, refusing to make eye contact, “And don’t apologize. I’d beat the shit out of him if you asked me to.”

He could feel his cheeks heat at his statement but he refused to take it back. He would. He’d do it for any of his teammates. He'd willingly beat a creep for anyone, but there'd be more care if it were for a teammate. 

Oikawa smiled, body relaxing more, shoulders losing their tenseness. “Thank you.”

Kyoutani nodded, looking over to the open doorways. If Kyoutani stood by Oikawa’s side for the rest of the party until Iwaizumi and Oikawa walked home together, that was nobody’s business but theirs. (He would never admit that the thankful praise Iwaizumi gave him in practice Monday was nice.)


	2. Shigeru Yahaba

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Yahaba is a mini Captain in training and looks up to his current Captain. So when said upperclassman is doubting himself- well, no one can have that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW: Oikawa has some spiraling thoughts about not being good enough.

The pressure of being an upperclassman could be a lot. Granted, not everyone who had kouhais  _ tried  _ that hard, there were some who chose to either ignore or pick on the younger students. After an incident that left a bitter taste in his mouth, Oikawa Tooru was adamant on being a perfect upperclassman. He would never admit to  _ planning  _ it, but he always had extra snacks or water bottles stashed in his bag or his corner in the club room in case someone was hungry or thirsty. He wasn’t the  _ best  _ when it came to studying himself, but if a first or second year were to ask him for assistance with a homework question or studying tips, you bet your ass he was on top of that.

He tried extending this effort into volleyball practice, as the team captain he always tries to help his teammates whenever he can. Some make it easier than others. Iwaizumi never needed instructions on what to work on or where he needed extra help, he beat himself up almost as much as Oikawa did. If he were to try and help Makki or Mattsun with their spiking or blocking he’d for  _ sure  _ end up with a ball to the back of the head (or face, he wouldn’t put that past them). Kyotani may have warmed up to Oikawa in a sense, but he still didn’t fully listen to Oikawa when he gave suggestions or demands. That was fine, they made  _ some  _ progress anyways. 

Majority of the other underclassmen there listened to Oikawa though, well, where it counted. They knew how to zone out and appear to be paying attention when he was complaining about how Iwaizumi was ignoring him or how he’d go off on tangents about space and aliens. But he knew how to be serious, pointing out where their weak spot was and how they would be able to improve it. He paid close attention to his team, and if ever asked why or teased about it he’d brush it off, explaining he was captain for a  _ reason.  _ And he was.

Sometimes he wondered why though.

He was childish.

Loud.

Dramatic.

He acted closer to how a child should than the kouhais. 

Yeah he had his killer serve that the entire team could count on to get them steady points. He had enough determination to carry them when they were tired and nervous, he could strategize and figure out the opposing team's plans. His team knew they could rely on him for a number of things.

Then why-

Iwaizumi was off towards the opposite side of the gym, talking with Kindaichi and Watari about God knows what, Makki and Mattsun were  _ actually  _ practicing together, Kumini joining in after a few minutes. Kyotani had managed to escape to a vending machine and was standing in a corner, scarfing down a bag of chips that was definitely  _ not  _ the healthiest.

Oikawa had been staring at the ball in his hands for minutes.

No one had really taken notice- everyone was practicing and working hard to improve. Yet here was their  _ Captain,  _ confidence wavering as his eyes began to go in and out of focus, the colors of the ball becoming a meaningless blur.

How did he ever become the captain to a powerhouse school like Aobajohsai?

He couldn’t even keep most serves in, and if the opposing team was smart enough to see it was going out and let it, Oikawa was the cause of his team losing points.

His teammates saw him as childish and loud, boisterous and too unserious.

All things that made a good  _ player,  _ but not a good captain.

How was he even supposed to train his underclassmen if he couldn’t keep  _ himself  _ in good enough shape to be a star player?

He was cocky. Not confident but  _ cocky,  _ and that was rooted from deep insecurities that caused him to lash out. The fact that he had his  _ team,  _ his  _ friends,  _ his Iwa still was-

“Hey Oikawa!”

The voice of Yahaba snapped him out of his thoughts, too loud and too much. He turned, putting on one of his ever famous smiles as he placed the ball under his arm. “Yes cream puff?” The scowl from him was instantaneous, but he dropped the look a second later, eyes focusing on the ground.

“I- can we talk real quick?”

Oikawa’s head tilted but he nodded, spinning the ball in his hands a few times. “What’s up?”

“Uh- I’m not even sure how I’m supposed to phrase this.”

He raised an eyebrow and paused, “Well don’t phrase it as a question- just say what the issue is and we’ll go from there.”

“I don’t know if I’ll be a good captain next year.”

Ah. Oikawa made an understanding noise, nodding his head. Yahaba continued, “And it makes me freak out cause like- you all chose me? But it could have been a  _ wrong  _ decision.”

“I get that- I do. When I found out I was elected Captain I was elated- it was one of the  _ biggest  _ goals of my life. But it ate me up- I was terrified I’d fuck it up. It still scares me- but the thing is the election of a Captain is never a mistake really. It’s up to the  _ whole  _ team to elect them- and you trust your team yeah?”

Yahaba nodded, twisting his fingers around each other, “Yeah. Hopefully the incoming first years won’t suck but.”

Oikawa sent him an understanding smile, “Exactly. You trust them, and they made the decision for you to be Captain next year. And I trust them as much as I trust you in leading this team after us elders have graduated and moved on.”

Yahab was silent after that, and Oikawa waited patiently for him to continue. He could hear the sound of balls hitting the court floor and sneakers squeaking along. He could distinctly hear Iwa yelling at either Makki or Mattsun- probably both. Yahaba looked up, “Do you think I’ll do good at being the Captain?”

The question wasn’t a major one- it was simple, as was the answer. Yes or no.

But there was something in the way he asked. His voice wasn’t small, it wasn’t quivering or fearful- but it was vulnerable. Apprehensive. Insecure.

It’s how he felt all the time.

He smiled, hand coming to rest on his shoulder, and he squeezed. “You’ll be an amazing Captain, Shigeru.”

The smile he received was almost blinding, and he let his arm drop to his side. Yahaba was tilting his head side to side some, mouth parting some. “You’re a good Captain,” His face flushed some and Oikawa froze a bit, before stammering, “This conversation wasn’t about me dumbass.”

Yahaba frowned at him. “I know- but I’m serious. You- I don’t know. I’ve been watching you since my first year and you’re... _ really  _ good at leading the team. And then when I was elected to become Captain next year I thought it would be smart to take notes or whatever.”

“You’ve been...taking notes on me?”

“Not  _ actual  _ notes idiot!” Yahaba flushed and glared, causing Oikawa to laugh some, “But just...trying to figure out how to be a good Captain. And you  _ are  _ a good Captain. You care about your team- you know us  _ all  _ personally. You turn into some mother hen type person when you hear someone didn’t pack a snack or forgot a water bottle. I’ve also noticed you’re able to practice on an individual's weak points without revealing to the team who needed the help and ensuring we  _ all  _ got better at it. You just...you do small things that mean a lot to the team as a whole and I can only  _ hope  _ I’m able to do that for the team next year…”

Oikawa wanted to cry. 

He didn’t let himself.

But he  _ wanted  _ to.

Yahaba was growing uncomfortable with the silence and stare from Oikawa. 

“Well that’s uh- well. For one,” Oikawa cleared his throat, “You will be a good Captain. Not better than me but I’ve been dubbed the Great King.”

“By someone who isn’t even on our team.”

“Hush- chibi-chan is an honorary member of every team he meets, it’s a curse. But- you will be an amazing Captain. Maybe you’ll be the Great Prince.”

If one didn’t know Tooru Oikawa, it would be easy to get offended. Yahaba had just let out a good chunk of compliments and praises- all true feelings he felt to his older teammate. All true facts- Oikawa was an amazing Captain, and the  _ entire  _ team saw it. Instead of thanking him or being bashful Oikawa turned to flaunting and teasing.

But his team knew, Yahaba knew. His motivation for coming over wasn’t entirely insecurity, it was definitely a factor, but it wasn’t the major one. Yahaba had seen the look on his face, he’d seen his brain shutting down and his insecurities taking root. And he was going to shut that shit down- and he had. He needed Oikawa to know he was a great Captain, that he lived up and bypassed all expectations. 

The teasing and cockiness, as they all learned, was deflection. You could tell from the light tint of pink on his cheeks, his eyes were looking anywhere but Yahaba, and he hadn’t stopped messing with the hair on the back of his head.

Yahaba grinned to himself, thanking Oikawa for the advice before going over to drag Kyotani into practicing with him. 

Oikawa wasn’t going to be their captain for that much longer, but for the time he  _ was  _ still there, Yahaba would ensure he was never insecure about his skills or leadership. He was their rock almost all the time, he just had to let them be his from time to time. 


	3. Hanamaki Takahiro

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Seijoh has a practice match against some random team-- and one of their middle blockers makes a powerful enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi--  
> IG: aj.coses.that  
> Tumblr: get-1a-some-therapy

If one were to ask Makki what he thought of Oikawa, he wouldn’t hesitate before telling them, “He’s such a loud dumbass,  _ seriously,  _ plus he owes me like...thirty cups of coffee at this point. He’s lucky I hang out with him.” It was always a joke, and if the other three were around Iwaizumi would just laugh, Mattsun would roll his eyes good naturedly, and Oikawa would let out an offended noise before pushing Makki’s arm, calling him mean or rude.

Makki loved Oikawa like a brother-- a loud, hyperactive, smart yet cocky brother. But he was a good guy, he cared for his team as a whole and the players individually. He knew when Mattsun was becoming frustrated with his shortcomings, going borderline non-verbal and shaky. He knew how to calm him down and pick apart the situation-- working through individual cogs of the problem and allowing him to regain his confidence. He knew when Kindaichi was itching to ask him or Iwaizumi something but was too anxious to spit the words out, so he knew what to say to make it seem like the extra help was  _ his  _ idea. He knew when Iwaizumi was blaming himself, he was the  _ ace  _ afterall. He knew how to get his head out of the ground, lift his spirits, make him see he was the ace for a reason. 

He was the first person to defend his teammates if someone were to make snide comments or ask rude questions. When someone asked why they hadn’t kicked Kyotani off the team for his attitude, Oikawa was the first to snap back, voice eerily calm, as he explained, “Kyotani’s a bit wild, yes, but he’s a strong player. Our team wouldn’t have gotten as far as it has without him, I know when I set a ball to him, he’ll get to it. He’s a trustworthy teammate, and a great addition to our team. You’re not  _ doubting  _ the judgement of the rest of our team members, are you?”

When someone’s teasing of the first years went too far, his “mother hen” side would come out. He’d be standing in front of his kouhais within a second, arms crossed and a passive aggressive smile on his face. Sharp words and even sharper looks silenced the rude students, who all awkwardly shifted their gazes to the ground.

Oikawa Tooru was an amazing captain.

But he did bug Makki, and what bugged him the  _ most  _ was how he refused to stand up for himself if someone were to torment him.

Aobajohsai had practice games from time to time. Oikawa would do his usual front when meeting the team, his blunt confidence all but a smack to the captain’s faces. The only team they’d played against that wasn’t immediately intimidated or pissed off by Oikawa’s words was Karasuno-- but they couldn’t have practice matches against them forever.

This new team, some smaller group of rough looking individuals, was already starting to get under Aobajohsai’s skin-- and the game hasn't even started.

Oikawa was held up outside, a girl from his fanclub had stopped him as the four third years were almost to the gym. She was a first year, had classes with Kindaichi and Kunimi, and she was pretty sweet. She had apparently stopped Oikawa to ask for advice on how to pass her English class-- close to tears as she explained that if she failed this next test her parents would force her out of all her clubs, and how Kunimi had said Oikawa was an expert at study habits.

That little shit.

The gym was buzzing with muffled chatter, each team having members who paired off to practice. Iwa was shuffling his feet some, spinning a ball in his hands. Makki sighed as he landed back on his feet, glaring at his boyfriend through the net.

“Gotcha.”

He stuck his tongue out, “I wasn’t even trying that hard.”

“Sure you weren’t,” Mattsun sent him a smirk, and Makki had a hard time stopping himself from lightly smacking him through the net.

“Oi!” The trio turned some, a second year from the opposing team stalking their way, eyebrows furrowed, “Where’s your captain?”

Iwa cocked a hip, and the three were already annoyed with this kids’ tone, “He’s talking to someone in the hall, he’ll be right in. We’re not supposed to start for another few minutes anyway.”

The guy scoffed, “Regardless of timing, shouldn’t he be here and I dunno, actually do what a  _ good  _ captain’s supposed to do?”

Iwa let out an annoyed sound, stepping forward with eyes narrowed. Mattsun glared from where he stood, and Makki crossed his arms.

“What are you trying to say?”

The brunette turned to face Makki, studying him over. “I’m not  _ trying  _ to say anything- I  _ am  _ saying that he seems far too distracted by the popularity. You know, if he took his role more seriously than I think it’s safe to say your team would have already been at the nationals.” Iwa’s face was pinched, eyebrows furrowed dangerously and arms crossed.

The guy shrugged, “I’m just calling them as I see them. A good captain focuses on his team and only his team- and yours isn’t even  _ here _ .”

One of his teammates called his name and he waved them off, turning to eye the three tense third years with a smug look, cocking his hip to one side. “Well-- warm ups are almost over. Maybe if you’re lucky he’ll show up. Good luck.”

As he walked away Hanamaki dubbed this kid “asshole number one”, watching as he high fived a few of his teammates. Matsukawa let out a grunt, uncrossing his arms and stepping under the net. “Oikawa-- ”

Makki and Iwaizumi startled, seeing their captain standing to the side of them with a small smile on his face. It didn’t take a genius to figure out it was fake, nor did it take one to see the hurt behind his eyes.

He put a hand up, shaking his head slightly, “Apologies, Hoshi-chan needed help with her English, and I guess I got a bit wrapped up.”

Iwaizumi stepped forward, hand reaching out hesitantly, “It’s fine Oikawa, we-- ”

“I suppose we should get ready to start? I’ll go introduce myself to their captain real quick.” Without room for argument he left the three standing near the net, different levels of defeat weighing down on their shoulders.

Mattsun clicked his tongue, “He’s gonna take that to heart.”

Makki sighed, crossing his arms, “Which part?”

He received a soft hum in response, “All of it really-- but specifically the nationals bit.”

“It’s just just up to  _ him,”  _ Iwaizumi’s voice was gruff as he watched his boyfriend chatting with the opposing captain, who at least seemed nicer than his second years.

“We know this, and for the most part he does, but…” Mattsun trailed off, shrugging helplessly.

Makki tore his eyes from Oikawa to glare at the second year. The brunette was talking with his teammates, pulling his bangs up in a stupid looking pigtail on the top of his head. His practice jersey read “8”. The kid seemed to be a middle blocker, and the longer Hanamaki watched the idiot seemingly make fun of Seijoh, the more he wanted to go over there and punch him in the face.

However, he knew he’d be in  _ extreme  _ trouble with not only Oikawa, but with both coaches. A slap to the back startled him out of his one sided glaring match. Mattsun got his attention, nodding towards the court. “C’mon-- we’re about to start.”

The beginning of the match went as it normally did. The teams lined up opposite of each other, bowing out of respect and showing their thanks for the ability to play that day. Makki didn’t feel all that grateful-- sure the captain seemed rather nice, but he didn’t keep his team in check. Even Kyoutani wouldn’t go out of his way to attack another team's captain. 

Well he would. But it would mostly be a type of rivalry that was appropriate for the court. Not attacking them on a  _ personal  _ level. 

Oikawa was serving first, and from the echoing  _ slap  _ that sounded from the ball making contact with his hand was enough to make the team wince. They watched as it flew over the net, smacking down harshly on the ground. 

First point went to them, no surprise there.

“Nice Oikawa!”

“We’ll get the next one-- calm down!”

Quick words were sent around from either side of the court but Makki didn’t chime in. His eyes were trained on their number 8 who looked surprised at the sheer force in Oikawa’s serve. A small smirk grew on his face,  _ good.  _ This idiot won’t know what hit him.

The next serve went off the same way, and the starting score had Seijoh in the lead by two points. The third serve was dug up, a quick attack that seemed almost slow compared to what they were used to going up against sent the ball towards the ground.

Watari was quicker though-- and soon the ball was back up. Oikawa moved, arms up as he took in a quick glance at his team. Iwaizumi was ready to move, itching to slam the ball down but the determination on Makki’s face sent the ball his way.

His feet were off the ground for mere seconds, but to him it felt like minutes. He could see the blockers jumping, just a second too late to stop him, but he wasn’t aiming for a point.

Number 8 was right in front of him, the two made eye contact as his arm came swinging down, and then--

A whistle blew and both teams froze as Makki landed on his feet, the ball rickashaying and landing on their side of the court. No one seemed to pay attention to that.

The opposing number 8 landed harshly, feet slipping out from under him as he swore loudly, hands covering his now bloody nose. Their coach called him out, bringing him to the side as their captain signaled for a small time out, their manager rushing in with a first aid kit.

Makki turned, hands on his hips as he sighed. The rest of his team was staring at him, eyes wide in disbelief.

“Oops?”

Kindaichi’s mouth was parted slightly as Mattsun shook his head, a small and knowing smile tugging the corners of his lips up. Iwaizumi crossed his arms, muttering a soft, “Idiot.”

Oikawa raised an eyebrow, and the look on his face was enough of a signal as any for Makki to go talk to him. It was only then did he begin to feel sheepish, like a child about to get scolded by his parent. 

“What was that?” He spoke quietly, the rest of the team giving them room as they discussed strategy, well, more like Mattsun and Iwa explained to them why Makki did what he did.

He shrugged, “Bad aim.”

“No, no you haven’t had aim that bad since our first year when you broke Matsukawa’s nose.” Makki winced, full names, oh no.

“You cleared them. They were seconds behind you in the air, it was a clean and easy kill for anyone. So what was that?”

“He’s an asshole.” Oikawa blanched, a moment of panic crossing his face before it was gone, “And I shut him up.”

“You can’t spike a ball into someone’s nose because they annoy you!”

“Why not?”

“Hanamaki.”

“He was bad mouthing you Oikawa, and we were supposed to let him get away with it? He won’t be shit talking you anytime soon with a busted nose.”

Oikawa pinched the bridge of his nose, “Look-- I’m. Makki, you can’t break someone’s nose because they shit talk me.”

“I didn’t  _ break  _ it-- ”

“I’m grateful you’re ready to defend me, but if it costs you or anyone else on our team to be benched, I don’t want it.” He clapped a hand on Makki’s shoulder, “If you  _ really  _ want to get back at him, then you play fair and kick his ass on the court.”

“Isn’t that what I did? Technically speaking?”

Oikawa stared at him for a second too long, and the grip on his shoulder tightened a bit before he was released. “I’m benching you for the next few rotations.”

“Oikawa-- ”

“You nearly broke someone’s nose, Makki. On  _ purpose.  _ You and Kunimi will switch out for a bit. You’ll be back in, I just need you to calm down.”

“I  _ am  _ calm.”

“Your face is the same color as your hair.”

He glared, aware that it was almost time to continue. The number 8 was also benched, holding a cloth with ice to his nose which had finally stopped bleeding. Guess it wasn’t broken, a shame.

“Fine. But when I’m back I want the ball.”

“I’ll send you however many sets you want, now, go.”

Makki grumbled, but made his way to the back of the court. Yahaba side eyed him, and he was aware of how the rest of the team was sending him curious looks. A quick raised brow turned their attention back to the game as it picked back up.

Kyoutani next to him let out a gruff sigh, arms crossed and body as tense as ever. “You break his nose?”

“No.”

“A shame.”

Yahaba elbowed the both of them without so much as looking back, eyes trained on the ball as it made contact with the ground once more.

1-3.

The energy coming from the Seijoh boys was intense, fiery. They were treating this like a game against Karasuno or Shiratorizawa. They were ready to dominate and destroy this opposing team. Shame, some of these kids seemed nice. They can thank their middle blockers for this game outcome. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It has been...a b i t. Oops!
> 
> Anyway-- my co-author on AO3 and I have been working on a HEFTY Iwaoi fic that we are taking...insanely seriously. So far we've written half of the full story, so be on the lookout for updates on it!


	4. Matsukawa Issei

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oikawa tries to hard, and for the most part Mattsun can deal with his eccentric friend. But when the try hard is at the expense of his health and his sleeping schedule? He does what he must.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! For a shameless self shout out my co-AO3 runner and I have started uploading our in depth Iwaoi Royal Fantasy AU on here. It's called "What Binds Us Together" and we upload every Monday and Friday! Chapter two for that will be out tomorrow- we've been planning this fic for almost 3 months so please go check it out!

One thing that was needed to ensure you stay on any sport team is that you keep your grades up. This doesn’t necessarily mean one has to be a straight A student, which was one of the only reasons Matsukawa was able to stay a float. He wasn’t dumb, I mean he  _ was  _ in class 1, but Seijoh was a relatively prestigious school. (He wouldn’t have made it into Shiratorizawa for his brains that’s for sure.)

Mattsun kept a B/C average in his classes. His issue came with studying. He wasn’t good at it. He didn’t really know many people who were- Kunimi was smart but he didn’t need to study, Kindaichi’s ADD tested his own abilities and Mattsun wasn't about to make the first year struggle more with studying  _ with  _ Mattsun. Yahaba dealt with forcing both him  _ and  _ Kyoutani to study, and Watari was too tired after dealing with them all during practice to deal with them outside of it.

Makki was out of the question, putting those two in a room together never ended in studying, more so it ended with them scrolling through tik tok, making out, or planning some stupid prank. Iwaizumi hated studying in any form, whether he be by himself or with others. Plus the pain on his face when one asked how studying was going was enough to make Mattsun feel bad and back off.

All these put together are the reason he found himself at Oikawa’s house on a Saturday night. He had arrived at about 3:30, the first of the other three to show. Oikawa had opened the door, clad in one of Iwaizumi’s hoodies, a pair of basketball shorts and his glasses. Mattsun was worried about this study session- he wasn’t sure if Oikawa was going to take this too seriously and take on a full “sensei-sona” or not, but upon seeing the bags under his eyes, he was worried for a whole other reason.

Hanamaki and Iwaizumi were scheduled to come over about 6 that night for dinner, more studying, and a group sleepover. Mattsun had arrived early in hopes of getting some more help, bringing some snacks and sodas with him. 

Upon entering Oikawa’s bedroom turned study room, he took a look about. There was a makeshift pillow throne on the ground where he assumed Oikawa was sitting, his laptop open with several different textbooks spread about, multiple notebooks and all colors in pens and highlighters. Empty coffee cups and cans littered the ground near his tiny trash can, and Mattsun had a gut feeling to hide everything he brought that had caffeine.

Clearing his throat, he tore his gaze away from the way Oikawa’s hands were trembling ever so slightly, “How long have you been studying?”

He received a hum in response, waiting for Oikawa to look up from his science book, eyes slightly glassy as he tilted his head, as if trying to figure out the answer himself, “Dunno. Got up at 5 and went on a run, so a little over seven hours?”

Mattsun blanched, eyebrows furrowing as he felt his head hurt at even the  _ idea  _ of studying that long. 

“Over seven hours? Oikawa- you got home late last night from practice. How much did you sleep?”

Huffing he leaned back, stretching out much like a cat, left foot kicking away a balled up piece of paper, “C’mon Mattsun- I already have Iwa-chan on my case, not you too.”

Taking a seat on Oikawa’s bed, placing his bag at his feet he gently cuffed the back of his captain’s head, “That’s cause you don’t take care of yourself idiot.”

“Do too.”

“I assume you haven’t eaten all day?”

The pause was answer enough, and Mattsun felt his eye twitch as Oikawa refused to meet his gaze.

“I had some yogurt with granola and fruit after my run this morning.”

“And every type of coffee in Japan after?”

A shrug, “I was tired.”

Dropping his head into his hands Mattsun sighed, trying to remember the times where Iwaizumi would have to force feed his boyfriend or get him to take a break somehow. Most times he had done some boyfriend-y act that was out of the question for a best friend to do.

Oikawa had taken the silence as a win and had gone back to studying, passing Mattsun his math notebook with his “Issei type notes” along with equations for him to practice. He tried concentrating, understanding Oikawa’s explanation better than his sensei’s, but his gaze and thoughts kept drifting back to the slight tremble in his friend’s tense shoulders.

Working on being discreet he pulled his phone out of his jacket pocket, opening the groupchat with the other two and sending a quick text.

_ hey _

_ oikawa’s doing the study thing again _

**_oh shit_ **

**_how bad this time?_ **

_ woke up at 5 _

_ studying for over 7 hours _

_ there’s at least 13 empty coffee cans on the ground _

**I’m going to murder him**

**_least do that when he’s in better health_ **

**No**

_ i’m gonna try and get him to take a break _

**We’ll bring stuff for dinner**

**_aw no homecooked tooru meal?_ **

**You don’t have to eat**

**_i mean yay take out at oikawa’s!_ **

**_get that idiot to rest_ **

Locking his phone with a sigh, he slipped it into his bag, trying to figure out the best approach to this. Oikawa was stubborn, and that was putting it lightly. He needed to be perfect in every way he could, both on and off the court. It could be annoying, whenever he put on the persona in front of his fangirls or their teachers. But other times it drove them crazy because it resulted in a breakdown or injury. 

He practiced his serves until he physically couldn’t move, he spiked until his fingers were bruised and his hands were shaking, he studied nonstop until he passed out, he took care of the team and never himself.

Pulling the notebook onto his lap he clicked his tongue once, shifting his weight to get both legs onto the bed, ready to move quickly.

“Oikawa- you think you can get up here and help me with this part real quick?”

It took a second for Oikawa to respond, the end of his pen between his teeth, gaze still stuck to his book, “Which part?”

“Uh,” He looked back down at the papers, he hadn’t been paying enough attention to fabricate a half assed lie, “All of it?”

Sighing, Oikawa laid his pen down, standing up and cracking his back, turning his tired gaze to the unanswered equations in the notebook. Sighing he kneeled to climb onto his bed, rolling the sleeves of his stolen hoodie up.

Without giving him a second to adjust, Mattsun lunged forward, notebook falling somewhere on the bed as he crashed into Oikawa’s chest, ignoring the loud, panicked yell that came from his captain. Arms wrapped tightly around his waist, cheek pressed against his chest he forced Oikawa to lay on his back, pressing his full weight to ensure he wasn’t able to throw or buck Mattsun off.

“Matsu- Matsukawa! What the  _ hell  _ are you doing?”

Tightening his grip as he felt Oikawa’s fists hit his side he hummed, shutting his eyes, “You need to sleep.”

Oikawa huffed, “I do  _ not.  _ Mattsun we have exams coming up, I need to study.”

“You’ve been studying for  _ hours.  _ A little nap will be fine.”

“You’re going to fuck up my circadian rhythm!”

Turning to peek an eye up at his friend he questioned, “Your what now?”

That prompted Oikawa to struggle harsher, poking and prodding at his friends' sides, arms, cheeks, pulling at his biceps to no avail. 

“See? I need to at least help  _ you  _ study! And Makki and Iwa-chan!”

Shaking his head he laid back down, shutting his eyes, “They would agree with me- you need to rest.”

Oikawa continued to struggle a bit longer, pushing and pulling at his friend’s arms, face pinched in frustration as he struggled, eyes narrowed. Mattsun kept his grip relatively tight, he didn’t want to squeeze too hard, he just needed Oikawa to  _ rest. _

He did his best to not cave in and wait for Iwaizumi to get there and work his magic, knowing Oikawa would be able to out smart them all and stay up later studying. Mattsun was well aware that Oikawa would be pouty and upset the next few days, and he’d have to buy him milk bread and other sweets to make it up to him, to make up for his “betrayal”. As long as he got Oikawa to rest and take care of himself, even for a bit, it would be worth it.

His scuffling had died down, sharp jabs becoming softer, before Mattsun felt the consistent weight of Oikawa’s arms resting on his back. He waited a few more minutes before looking up, letting out a deep breath when he saw Oikawa’s eyes shut, a small crease between his eyebrows, but other than that he was calm and still. The tension was slowly leaving his body, arms lax and shoulders loose.

Mattsun was slightly afraid to move, worried any shift in weight would wake Oikawa back up and they’d have to go through all of this all over again. He’d sealed his own fate in a way- now he had to lay here until he was completely certain Oikawa was completely asleep. The warmth of the bed and comfort of the makeshift hug was enough to begin tugging on Mattsun’s own consciousness, and he started to fight to keep his eyes open. 

If he ended up falling asleep in a cuddle session with Oikawa he’d never hear the last of it.

///

Makki kicked a pebble away as Iwaizumi unlocked the front door, holding a bag of take out in his hands, shifting weight from foot to foot.

“You think Mattsun got Oikawa to take a break?”

Iwaizumi snorted, “Not unless he knocked him over the head with something.”

Shrugging, Makki followed him inside, both taking their shoes off at the front, making their way back to Oikawa’s room, “Maybe we can play some kids lullabies while we study and hope he just… passes out.”

Iwaizumi opened his mouth to respond as he pushed the bedroom door open but paused, eyes widening some, mouth parted as he froze. Makki frowned at the pause in movement, pushing Iwaizumi’s shoulder as he leaned forward, sticking his head inside. He snorted, bringing a free hand up to cover his mouth as he took in the sight before them.

Both Mattsun and Oikawa were asleep on his bed, Oikawa on his back, one arm wrapped around Mattsun’s back, the other up, hand resting on the pillow near his face. His head was turned towards his wall, face relaxed and glasses slightly crooked on his face as he slept. Mattsun was basically just using Oikawa as a bed, arms wrapped around his waist and hands under his back (he was going to complain about them being numb when they woke up), cheek on Oikawa’s sternum, facing the door. A thin line of drool was seeping from his mouth, slowly pooling on the sweatshirt Oikawa was wearing.

Iwaizumi and Makki exchanged a look, before stepping in quietly. Makki grinned, bringing out his phone to take pictures, “Guess he didn’t have to knock him over the head after all, huh?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Come say hi!  
> IG: hey.hey.heeyyy
> 
> Another shameless self shout out- I've started making Haikyuu earrings! If you'd like to commission any go check me out and DM me!


	5. Iwaizumi Hajime

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sitting on his knees, Iwaizumi moved a hand up, intertwining his fingers with Oikawa’s, grip tighter than normal to provide some small resemblance of grounding for him. He didn’t move for a few minutes, letting Oikawa get adjusted to touch after locking himself away for God knows how long. He moved slowly, freehand moving up, fingers softly brushing through Oikawa’s messy curls. 
> 
> “Do you need anything?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, this idea is still up and alive. I've just been... going through it ya know

There was a slight build-up of annoyance that was bubbling in Iwaizumi’s chest. He glanced back down at his phone, lock screen showing him the selfie of him and Oikawa from their first date of their third year, the time telling him it was half past noon.

_ “I’ll be there at noon on the dot Iwa-chan! I’m  _ always  _ punctual.” _

Grumbling to himself he knocked on the front door, waiting for Oikawa’s mom or dad to open, or for a sheepish Oikawa himself to open the door, apologizing for losing track of the time. He waited a few moments, brows furrowing as no one came to the door. He sent his boyfriend a quick text.

_ did you head out to the cafe yet? _

_ cause i headed to yours _

He was waiting for a response, or for the bubbles to pop up indicating Oikawa was responding. But one minute turned into five, and the annoyance bled into concern. He kicked the doormat some, flipping a corner to grab the spare house key, unlocking the front door and slowly creeping in.

Knocking loudly for good measure, he called out, “Oikawa? It’s Iwaizumi.”

No sounds came from inside, and he shut the door behind him, sighing as he stepped further in, toeing off his shoes. Oikawa’s favorite sweatshirt was laying on the floor by the hallway, one of Iwaizumi’s sweatshirts he had stolen what felt like years ago. Grabbing it off the ground, he felt a twitch in his forehead, peering around as he made his way to Oikawa’s room.

The door was slightly ajar, and he pressed it forward with his foot, spotting a lump on the bed, still and unmoving. 

“Oikawa?”

There was a low hum from the bed, and Iwaizumi felt his shoulders sag, stepping and shutting the door behind him. Sweatshirt in hand, he tiptoed closer to the bed, kneeling down so he was on level with his boyfriend.

“Tooru?”

It took a few seconds, but Oikawa shifted, turning to face Iwaizumi, eyes blank and lips tightly shut, blanket pulled down to his chin. 

Iwaizumi smiled softly, “Hey baby, bad day?”

Oikawa blinked at him, nodding once, fists tightening their grip of the blanket, moving his gaze to look anywhere but Iwaizumi’s eyes. Iwa held up the sweatshirt, putting it in Oikawa’s line of sight.

“You want this?”

He didn’t receive more than a sigh in response, and he nodded, setting it down, “Okay, it’s here if you need it. Are you okay with being touched?”

He knew what Oikawa’s movements would mean. Nods and shakes were obvious, inching back or shifting his weight was a no. Oikawa fidgeted for a moment, and Iwa was prepared to sit back and let his boyfriend know he was there, but slowly he unclenched a fist, inching a hand out from under his duvet, and Iwa got the message instantly.

Sitting on his knees, Iwaizumi moved a hand up, intertwining his fingers with Oikawa’s, grip tighter than normal to provide some small resemblance of grounding for him. He didn’t move for a few minutes, letting Oikawa get adjusted to touch after locking himself away for God knows how long. He moved slowly, freehand moving up, fingers softly brushing through Oikawa’s messy curls. 

“Do you need anything?”

Oikawa let out a short hum, a twitch in the shoulders.

“Do you wanna hear about what my mom told me yesterday?”

He continued carding his fingers, slowly detangling any knots he came across, scratching his scalp, thankful he kept his nails short due to volleyball, he didn’t need to accidentally cut his boyfriend’s head. 

Brown eyes met green and Iwaizumi took that as his cue to continue.

“She said that, if it was okay with your mom, that after we graduate she’d help pay for you and me to go on a small trip. She said nothing major, so no backpacking across  _ all  _ of North America, but something like a week trip to some city, a week of traveling between major cities and site seeing. That sounds fun, doesn’t it?”

Oikawa shut his eyes, head leaning into Iwaizumi’s hand, and for a moment Iwaizumi had the thought to tease his boyfriend and call him a kitty cat. He just smiled, a small huff coming through his nose.

“I know you said you’ve always wanted to visit Nagoya for the science museum there, their giant ass planetarium. See the stars on the big dome you told me about. We could act like tourists for a week, explore Atsuta-jingu. It’s not a Godzilla park but I’d like to walk around Noritake garden.”

Oikawa made a small face, nose scrunching up, and Iwaizumi laughed.

“I know you used to be terrified of dinosaurs and bugs, but it could be a once in a lifetime chance for two fresh high school graduates.”

“Castle,” Oikawa’s voice was soft, rough and thick, and Iwaizumi winced, knowing it was an indication that his boyfriend had been crying.

“Hm?”

“Nagoya castle. Wanna visit there… ”

He smiled, leaning so his chin was resting on the mattress, and though it was an awkward angle for his shoulders and he could feel his legs getting pins and needles, Oikawa was talking some now, slowly leaving the darkness of his head.

“We can probably do a decent amount in a week. Go back to a hotel at night, Mattsun wants me to make a point to tell you they have thick walls in some hotels there, I told him to go to hell.”

Oikawa snorted, lips twitching some, tightening his grip on Iwaizumi’s hand.

Tilting his head, Iwa watched as Oikawa sighed, eyes shutting momentarily.

“ ‘M tired, Haj.”

“Do you wanna take a nap?”

Oikawa shrugged, “ ‘M tired of my head. Feeling like this.”

“I know, Tooru,” Iwaizumi sighed, shifting so he could press their foreheads together, “I know you do, baby. Did anything specific trigger it?”

“Dunno. Was okay after practice, then I just felt… bad after showering. I was gonna text you but I threw my phone somewhere in the living room and I didn’t… I couldn’t force myself to- ”

Iwa shushed him, “You don’t have to explain yourself, Tooru. I’m not mad or upset. I’m just happy you trust me enough to let me be here for you right now.”

“Need you… ” 

His chest was swelling with a mixture of feelings. Love, warmth, sadness, worry. He wished he could offer more than a hand or a few words whenever Oikawa’s mental health declined like this, but he knew that Oikawa appreciated any and all efforts Iwa put in, and Iwa would never stop putting them in.

“Can you,” Oikawa licked his lips, “Can you hold me?”

Nodding, he shifted, “Do you want me to come up in the bed?”

Oikawa shut his eyes, bringing the blanket closer to his face, eyes pinched shut as he nodded. In seconds Iwaizumi was standing up, head-spinning as the blood rushed through his calves. He stepped to the foot of the bed, carefully crawling up and behind Oikawa, resting on his side, pausing as his boyfriend shifted, slowly turning to face Iwaizumi. He propped himself up slightly, wrapping an arm around Oikawa, fingers gently rubbing up and down the top part of his spine, legs tangling together as best they could with Iwaizumi on top of the blanket.

Silence overlapped the two, Iwaizumi shifting to lay flat after a few moments, studying his boyfriend’s face, Oikawa’s eyes shut and eyebrows furrowed.

“Hajime, why do you stay with me when I’m like this?”

Fingers stopping their movement, Iwaizumi grunted, “Huh?”

“You could have gone home… or gone to hang out with anyone else. Anyone who would have fun now. Not be a lump in the bed. You don’t… have to stay here.”

Shifting forward, Iwaizumi tightened his grip, rubbing the pads of his fingers into Oikawa’s back. Their bodies were flush together, and Oikawa let out a shuddering breath.

“I told you, I’m always going to be here for you. That goes from buying you milk bread when you forget your wallet, nursing you back to health when you’re sick, and days like these. There’s nothing more important to me than you are, and I know I struggle to say that sometimes, but you are my everything, Tooru.”

He shifted, pressing his forehead into Oikawa’s, shutting his eyes.

Oikawa was tense for a few moments, before going lax in Iwaizumi’s hold, pressing his body closer to his boyfriend’s warmth. 

“ ‘M sorry.”

“You don’t have anything to be sorry for,” Iwaizumi opened his eyes slightly, gazing at Oikawa, “I know that only means but so much in time slike these… but I mean it. I love you Tooru, and we’ll always have each other’s backs, through thick and thin.”

Snorting, Oikawa opened his eyes, half-lidded but brighter than they had been before, “That a proposal?”

“Not a proposal, yet, just a promise.”

Humming, Oikawa shut his eyes, nuzzling his head closer to Iwa’s chest, “ ‘S a nice promise.”

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos appreciated!  
> Come say hi on tumblr- tumblr.com/get-1a-some-therapy


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